Ban uninsured vehicles, court urged

The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the central and Delhi governments and the Delhi Police commissioner on a plea seeking directions not to allow uninsured vehicles to ply on any road.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought their replies by Oct 13, the next date of hearing.

The petition was filed by family members of Dinesh Sehgal, 48, who was killed in a road accident Aug 22, 2011, caused by an uninsured tractor.

The plea sought directions to the central and Delhi governments and the police chief to “effectively” implement the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

It was also alleged that the respondents deliberately neglected the implementation of the provisions of the act by not prosecuting the owners or drivers of vehicles without third party liability insurance.

“The respondents permit the uninsured vehicles to ply on the road in breach of law and, thereafter, neither prosecute the owner or driver nor seize or auction the offending vehicle,” said the plea.

The petitioners sought directions to the central and Delhi governments and the police chief to compensate the victims of road accidents due to their alleged negligence.

The plea urged the court to ask the respondents “to explain the measures adopted by them since 2009 to curb the menace of uninsured vehicles plying on road, drivers without valid driving licence, fake driving licences and drunken driving”.

It said that the Supreme Court and the high courts had passed many directions asking the government to implement the Motor Vehicles Act.

In 2009, the police commissioner assured the Delhi High Court to strictly comply with the rules under the Motor Vehicles Act.